As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark the International Oral Health Day, citizens have been reminded that the mouth is the gateway to the entire body system and they should make sound oral hygiene their watchword so as to maintain a healthy living.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka gave this assignment while addressing participants at a rally held at the Ake palace ground in Abeokuta to mark the day.

He maintained that an effective oral health care remained the surest way of reducing the contact of diseases that might affect the whole body system, adding oral health services is a vital component of health care delivery system which every individual must not treat with levity.

“The mouth as gateway to the body deserves adequate attention and care to prevent contracting diseases that could affect the body system. The World Oral health Day provides an opportunity to increase awareness on oral health and encourage individuals, families, communities and policy makers to take appropriate actions towards the prevalence of oral diseases such as dental caries, oral cancers among others which are largely preventable” Soyinka stated.

Soyinka revealed that as part of efforts to prevent and check the spread of oral diseases among its citizenry, the State Government has employed more dentists with the facilities of the dental centres in Sagamu, Ota and Abeokuta upgraded to enhance service delivery.

According to him, oral care had also been inculcated into the primary health with mobile oral health service made available for early detection and prevention of oral diseases among the grassroots.

Speaking on the theme for this years’ celebration, “Celebrating Healthy Smiles”, the Commissioner implored residents to undertake dental check ups at least once in a year and make proper mouth washing in the morning and night a habit.

Highpoint of the celebration was a health walk, quiz competition on oral hygiene among public and private secondary schools and demonstration on proper tooth cleaning.